File-card holder



Sept. 18, 1923.

HAMAW J. .1. JENNINGS FILE CARD HOLDER" Filed NOV. 17 1920 GEO. A

ORDERED EXECUTED tin? v FILED ALLOWED Issuer) ORDERED c'r. 2'7. 1919 hand to hold the superposed card in Patented Sept. 18, 1923.

uairsnsra'rss earner caries.

JAMES J. 'JEN NINGS, F OAK PARK; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 ARTHUR TRUSTEE; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

H. BOETTCHER,

FILE-CARD HOLDER;

. Application filed November 1'7, 1920. Serial No. 424,620.

To all whom it may concern Be it known'that L-JAMES J. JENNINGS, a citizen of the United States, residingat Oak Park, in the county of Cool; and State of Illinois, have inventeda certain new and use ful Improvement in File-Card Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact, description, reference being had to the accompanyingv drawings, forming. a part of thisspecification..

My invention relates to file card holders.

'The fundamental object of theinvention is to provide a'holdingdevice designed to hold in predetermined POSllJlOIl any of the file cards of such filing systems plurality of file cards arranged in overlapping relation on a'file cardframe. This class of 'filing systems has illustration in rotary card files wherein a series of these file card frames are hinged as leaves inja rotatable support, and in other forms of filing apparatus wherein these file card frames are hinged in straight line series on a suitable supportingframe, or otherwise arranged for ready accessibility. In these various filingdevices. in order to expose the data contained on; these file cards itais necessary toraise' or swing back all of l-the file cards above the desired card to be examined and to-hold these cards in raised position while the dat is being noted or transcribed. This makes the use of the cards inconvenient, particularly when it is necessary to examine orfcopy down considerable data from the'file card, inasmuch as it necessitates the'use of one raised position. This is also bothersome-inasmuch as it prevents one from using the other hand in holding the pad, book, or other writing surface upon which the transcription is be ingmade, and prohibits one from leaving the file momentarily without losing the particular ca-rd selected. The presentformof file card holder isintended. to obviate these difficulties b'yiproviding card-holding memberswhich are disposed oneach side of the card file frame. and which are adjustable along-the. length ofjtne frame for engaging vand holding in; raised 7 positionany filecard on, either side of thegframe, These cardhol'ding members are so arrangedthatthe operation of shifting them to any-desired point along the card ffr'am'e and-of moving them into andout of engaging relation with the desired card can be performed with the as employ a taken on the plane Ia'ble supporting standard desired file card greatest ease and facility. The present file card holder may be embodied as a unitarv part of the file card frame, or may be coristructed as an appliance or attachment adapted to be fitted upon the frame.

wing to the comparatively low cost of these file card frames, it is desirable that a file card holder be of inexpensive manufacture, and hence it is the further object of my'invention to provide a simplified construction of file card holder consisting of a minimumnumber of parts, preferably sheet metal stampings, and capable of manufacture at a minimum cost.

- The embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing represents a preferred form of my invention; it being understood that additions and modifications may be made thereto Within the scope of my invention.

. In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary view of a rotary card file illustrating in elevation one of the file card frames with my improved card V able runner Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view 3-3 ofFigure 2;

Figure f is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4.-4 of Figure 1, illustrating the cooperationof the card holder with the hinged file cards; and Fig; 5 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the rotatable supporting standard, carrying the vertical card frames.

The file card frame 5 is constructed of outer and inner channel-members 6 which are connected at top and bottom by horizontal bars 8 and 9, these four frame members defining a'narrow-vertical frame for receiving the cards 11. The inwardly extending endsof the horizontal frame members 8an'd 9.11ave pivotal mounting in a central rotat- 4, whereby any frame may "be revolved into convenient position and each frame may be swung to expose either side. The file cards ll'have a hinge mounting on the frame 5 so that they may be readily turned back to expose either side of any particular card, the

several :carols being superposed in overlapframe members.

plate 26 a name 12 or other indicia indicating its contents. The cards on the reverse side of the frame are arranged in identical relation. The preceding description will suffice to illustrate a conventional form of card fileor index, the application of my invention to this form of card file being illustrative of the application and utility of the card holder with other forms of card files not of the retary type.

In the present embodiment the card-holding deviceis illustrated in the form of an appliance or attachment, and in this form comprises a vertical guide rail 14 having its ends bent horizontally as indicated at 15 and 16 to engage with the horizontal frame members 8 and 9. The guide rail .1 1 is of channel-shaped. section, 2, and the channel-shaped ends 15 and 16 are thus made to embrace the edges and sides of the horizontal frame members 8 and 9, the device being applied by sliding these end portions 15 and 16 lengthwise over the with inwardly punched depressions 17 -17 which are adapted to engage the outer frame member tl and limit the inward motion of the horizontal extensions 15 and16 alongtheframe members 8 and 9. This is for the purpose of avoiding interference between the card holding device and the index tab 18 which is generally provided at the outer edge of each file card frame for indicating the alphabetical order of the card frames.

ing 22 defining the inner and top and bottom walls of the runner 20. The end walls 23 of the housing member 22 are formed by bending tu'iextensions from the bottom wall 2 1, these. extending portions of metal terminating flush with the upper surface of thetop wall 25. The outer open face of the housing member 22 is closed off by a plate 26 which is formed with a marginal flange 27 extending around all sides of the and engaging over the top, bottom and end I The guide rail 1 1 extends through slotted openings 28 in the top and bottom walls and 24, these slotted openings 28 extending forwardly to the front edges of the top and bottom walls 25 and 24: so that the housing member may be conveniently assembled over the guide rail 14 after the horizontal ends 7. '15 and l6 have been bent therein. The front plate 26 is secured to the housing member.

by two pins 22-29. each of which is passed downwardly through the flanges 2727 and the top and bottom walls 25-24: at a point as illustrated in Figure.

The side flanges of the hor1zontal extensions 15 and 16 are provided walls of the housing member 22..

intermediate the guide rail 1t and the end wall 23. 'A leaf spring 31 consisting of a single strip of fiat spring metal is extended through the length. of the housing member 22 and is bowed between the inner faces of the pins 29 and the outer flat face of the guide rail 14. The extremities of the spring 31 extend into-engaging relation with the ends ofthe cardholding arms 21' and 21 and function as detents or biasing means for holding the arms in their two positions. Each of the arms 21-21 is pivoted upon the inside of its respective end wall 23 upon a pivot pin 32. At each end, the top wall 25 is provided with a slotted recess 33 which is made continuous with a similar vertical recess 3a in the innerwall 35 of the housing member. Each of the arms; 21-21 plays between the limits of these adjoining slotted openings. The lower edge of each arm 21 -21 isbeveled as indicated-at 36 to present a flat surface to the leaf spring 31 when the arm is in its inclined cardengaging position so that the spring can function to retain the arm in this position. 'When the arm is in its normal, upright position (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1) the end vertical flat edge of the arm and thus retains it in this position, and, similarly, when'the arm is in its card-engaging position (indicated in full lines inFigure 1) the engage of the leaf spring 31 bears against the m'ent of the leaf spring 31 with the beveled 1 the superposed cards above the same, the

runner 20 is slid lengthwise along the; guide rail 14 to a. point adjacent the lowermost raised card and the arm 21 or 21 is then swung diagonallyinto position totngage the said card and hold the same in raised positionfor exposing the record data on the rear face of this card. or on, the front face of the next lower card. The action of the leaf spring 31engaging the front of the guide rail 14 imposes just sufficient tension upon the runner 2O to' retain it in any set position, but withoutfmaterially retarding the adjusting 'motion of the runner along the guide rail. This springamoreover, re

tainstheinner ends of thetwo slottedope'nings' 28 inftens'lonal engagement with the edges of the guide rail 1d and thus prevents any tendency of the runner 20 to wabble laterally on the guide rail.

The same general form and construction may be followedwhen the card holding do vice is embodied as a unitary part of the file card frame 5. For example, in such embodiment, the end portions and 16 might alsoconstitute the top and bottom members for the card frame 5. As an alternative construction, independent guide rails 14: may be provided for each side of each file card frame, these two guide rails carrying independent runners 20 having separate card holding arms 21 for engaging the cards on their respectivesides of the file card frame.

I do not intend to be limited to the details herein shown and described, except as they are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: 1

1. .In combination, a card frame adapted to carry a plurality of cards having pivotal movement, means carrying the weight of said cards and slidable along one dimension of said frame for holding said cards in a desired position, and means for locking said first means in'hold-ing position.

2. In combination, an open frame having substantially opposed parallel members, a

plurality of file cards pivotally carried on said open frame, a standard having its ends attached to said opposed parallel members, and means adjustable along said standard .for projection into the path of said cards.

3. A file card holder adapted for cooperation with the cards of a file card frame, comprising a vertical guide. member extending parallel to the vertical edge of the file card frame, a runner movable longitudinally along said guide member, and an arm carried by said runner and adapted to be moved into and out of engaging relation with the cards on said frame, and means for holding said arms in engaging relation against the weight of the cards.

4:. In combination, a vertical file card frame having file cards on opposite sides thereof, a guide 'member extending parallel with the vertical edge of said frame, a runner movable longitudinally along said guide bar, means for retaining said runner at any set position along said guide rail, a pair of card-holding arms carried by said runner and adapted for engagement with the cards on opposite sides of said file card frame, each of said arms being pivoted to said runner and being adapted for swinging mot-ion into and out of engagement with'the file cards. V

r 5. In combinatioina plurality of vertical file card frames having hinged motion on a common standard, a vertical guide railextending along the outer edge of one of said frames, a runner movable along said guide rail, card-holding arms carried by said runner and adapted to hold the cards on opposite sides of said frame, each of said arms having a pivotal swinging motion into and out of engagement with said cards, and resilient detent mechanism for retaining said runner in set position on said guide bar and for retaining said arms in their operative and inoperative positions.

"6. In combination, a Iile card frame having file cards on opposite sides thereof, a guide rail extending parallel to the vertical edge thereof, a runner shiftable along said guide rail, said runner comprising a housing member slotted to engage over said guide rail, a cover member closing off said housing member, card-holding arms extending into said housing member through slots in the ends thereof, said arms being pivoted to the end walls of said housing member, said arms being movable into and out of cardand means adjustable along said standard for projection into the path of said cards.

8. In combination, a substantially rectangular open frame, a plurality? of file cards pivotally carried within said open frame, a U-shaped standard having its parallel legs embracing certain sides of said frame, and means adjustable along said standard for projection into the path of said cards.

9. In combination, a card file frame for carrying a plurality of pivotally mounted cards, a guide member on said frame, a runner on said guide member, means on said runner and swinging in the path of said cards, and means carried by said runner for holding said first means in or out of the path of the cards.

10. In combination, a file card frame for carrying a plurality of pivotally mounted cards, a guide member on said frame, a runner on said guide member, arms on said runner for swinging into engagement with said cards, and means for holding said runner and said arms in set position.

In Witness whereof I'hereunto subscribe my name this 5th day of November, 1920.

JAMES J. JENNINGS. 

